


365 Days With You

by veritas_st



Series: The Size of the Fight [2]
Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: M/M, fighter!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 17:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13276026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veritas_st/pseuds/veritas_st
Summary: VERY short follow up to The Size of the Fight, for Tattooedsiren.  Happy Birthday gorgeous.





	365 Days With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tattooedsiren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tattooedsiren/gifts).



Harvey sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

The sun went down hours ago and the soft night lighting of the office is dim and there’s a gentle noise of the office cleaners from somewhere down the hallway. He should be at home, he should be with Mike, listening to him rattle around the kitchen as he cooks. Or listening to the soft grunts from their home gym.

It’s been a year since the Indentured Law was repealed. A year since Mike’s been free. 365 days exactly and Harvey should be at home with him, reminding Mike just how free he is.

He slams the lid of his laptop and stands, popping his back and stretching, looking out over the city he loves so much. He barely hears the soft knock on the glass window of his office but turns and sees Mike in the doorway, white box in his hands, small smile on his face. 

“What are you doing here?” Harvey asks, stepping closer to him. It’s not accusatory, it’s genuine in it’s pleasure at seeing him and Mike takes a step into the office and grins lightly. It reaches his eyes, as it does more often than not now and Harvey takes a second to appreciate the genuine smile on his face. It’s been hard work to get there, to get that smile on Mike’s face and Harvey takes another second to drink it in. 

“I bought you cake,” Mike holds out the box, holds it between them like a physical barrier and Harvey would be worried had it not been a year since Mike was free. Would be worried about the subconscious action of Mike putting something between them. But Mike’s handing the box to him, asking Harvey to take it, asking Harvey to take the barriers away. 

“Why?” Harvey takes the box from Mike’s hands and drops it gently onto his desk. Mike doesn’t wait for him to pull him close, like he used to, steps into Harvey’s space by himself, and presses his lips to Harvey’s. It’s brief but honest and Harvey presses his hand to the flat of Mike’s back when he pulls away. 

“Because it’s been a year since…” Mike lets out a frustrated sign and Harvey lets him pause, lets him gather his words. “It’s been a year since I’ve been free and I thought we should celebrate, and what better way than with cake?” 

“I can think of a few better ways,” Harvey says and Mike raises an eyebrow. “Sorry, continue.” 

“I also wanted to talk to you about something,” Harvey lets him go and Mike runs a hand through his hair. Harvey watches him carefully, looking for any of the old tell-tale signs that Mike’s spiralling, bruised knuckles, that feral look in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. He’s not seen it for months but he’s always wary. 

It’s been a long road to where they are now. It’s been months since Mike’s had a nightmare but Harvey still wakes sometimes to find Mike awake, pressing himself to Harvey’s back. And Harvey will always turn and tuck Mike under his chin. Letting Mike decide who he was as a person, letting Mike make decisions and lead the way for himself had been the hardest step. For so long, everything was taken from Mike’s hands and to suddenly have it back had thrown him. 

There had been the odd explosive episodes, that Harvey had weather the best he could, how he had when Mike was legally his, coaxing him back from the edge with words rather than the fists that Mike preferred. 

“That sounds serious,” he tries for light but there’s a tension running through his own shoulders that he can feel and Mike smiles briefly. A small reassurance. 

“I’ve been in touch with a few ex-Indentured and they’re struggling and I want to help but…” 

“What do you need?” Harvey interrupts and Mike’s face breaks into the most blinding grin. He tugs Harvey close and kisses him. His face sobers when he pulls back and Harvey curls two fingers under his chin. 

“There’s a lot living on the streets Harvey, they were kicked out of their homes and we didn’t even think about them. I can’t not help, not when I’ve had you.” Despite the impassive mask that Mike used to wear when he looked at Harvey, Harvey knows he feels deeply, perhaps more deeply than anyone Harvey’s ever met and there’s a heartbreaking look on his face and if Harvey can help he will. 

“What did you have in mind?” Harvey puts distance between them, knows that Mike finds it easier to talk sometimes when there’s distance, when he’s not using Harvey as a physical crutch. Mike sits on Harvey’s couch and takes a deep breath. 

“A shelter?” There’s hesitation in his voice and Harvey knows it’s because Mike hates asking for anything, let alone help. Harvey would give him the world if he asked but he knows Mike never would. 

“Mike…” Harvey starts, sitting down next to him and Mike waves a hand at him. 

“It’s ok, it was a stupid idea…”

“No, it’s a perfect idea.”

“Really?” 

“Yes, really.” Mike grins again and crawls into Harvey’s lap. Harvey has a flash of Mike doing that over a year ago, body shaking with repressed anger, pushing Harvey to use him like he was used to. Harvey closes his eyes as Mike’s gentle hands cup around his face. Hands that have been used for such terrible things but that are used now to cook, to touch Harvey with love and are barely used to punch things anymore. 

“I love you,” Mike says, simply and he says it so rarely that Harvey snaps his eyes open. He’s met with blue, honest eyes. Ones that used to glare at him with defiance but now are soft. “Also…” There’s mischief hiding behind his smile and Harvey raises an eyebrow at him. “Donna told me a secret.” 

“Oh she did, did she?” 

“Happy Birthday, Harvey.” 

“She’s getting fired.” Mike laughs and crawls off Harvey’s lap to fetch the cake.

“Why didn’t you tell me last year?” Mike asks and hands Harvey the box again. The cake is simple, but elegant and Harvey smiles down at the writing _365 days with you_. 

“We had more important things going on,” Harvey replies taking the proffered fork from Mike’s hands. “You had me before you were free, you know?” Mike nods and drops to his knees in front of Harvey. It’s not the submission stance he would have taken a year ago, its a simple gesture of trust and Harvey reaches forward to rub a thumb across Mike’s lower lip. 

“I know, but you didn’t have me, not really,” Mike shrugs a little and Harvey takes a mouthful of the cake, digging into the immaculate frosting. “I’ll pay you back you know?” 

“For what?” 

“For the shelter,” Mike inches forward, “for everything.”

“Saying that you don’t have to would be redundant right?” 

“Right.” Mike grins and stands. “Can we go home and have birthday sex?” 

“What about the cake?” Harvey asks and Mike runs his finger through the frosting and sucks it into his mouth. Something stirs low in Harvey’s belly. 

“The cake can come too.” 

Hours later, with the early light of dawn filtering through the windows, and Mike tucked under his chin, Mike’s fingers playing against his lower back, the taste of Mike and cake frosting still in his mouth, Harvey answers Mike. 

“I love you too.”


End file.
